Chapter 47: Self-Inflicted Adversity

Sometimes Adversity is caused by filling our lives with a lot of busy-work that causes us to be overly stressed, angry, and hungry but is not necessary.  This kind of Adversity is self-inflicted.  It is equivalent to Prude Attraction Inhibitors (see Chapter 9).  Prudes, whether male or female, get themselves all caught up in fanatical causes, pointless and vicarious drama, or dangerous sporting activities. 

“Because of increased life expectancies and modern timesaving devices, most of us have far more discretionary time than our predecessors...The effect of these resources on some of us seems to fulfill the prophet Daniel’s prophecy that in the last days ‘knowledge shall be increased” and “many shall run to and fro’ (Dan. 12:4).

"...Some decisions that seem desirable for mortality have unacceptable risks for eternity. In all such choices we need to have inspired priorities and apply them in ways that will bring eternal blessings to us and to our family members.

“Then, after we have done all that we can, we should remember the wise counsel and comforting assurance of King Benjamin, who taught, ‘And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength’ (Mosiah 4:27).”

~Focus and Priorities by Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Fanatical Causes
Many people employ their time and Energy on Willy Nilly sacrificing.  Many of these types of causes seem to be bent on fanatically trying to stop Adversity all together.  But, as has already been discussed, we need Adversity to obtain Sustainable Joy.  We also need it to signal to us when the lower level Values we have chosen to incorporate in our lives are going to end us up in Virulent Sorrow as opposed to Sustainable Joy.  For example, many in our society are spending much Energy on stopping the adverse effects of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) instead of actually directing their time, talents, and funds on teaching about and providing a REAL Forcefield that will decrease, if not eliminate, the need to copulate with multiple partners Willy Nilly.  How many people, when taught about the rules of the Soulmates Marriage game and the rewards for keeping them, would change the way they go about obtaining Peace and Energy?

“God can't give us peace and happiness apart from Himself because there is no such thing.” ~C.S. Lewis

"They say love is cruel
They say love is rather fragile
But I found in you
A Love of another kind!

"They would change their tune
They would add another measure
If they only knew
This Love of another kind"

~Love of Another Kind by Amy Grant

Pointless & Vicarious Drama
We’ll talk more about Outside Lack of Adversity in the next chapter but I bring it up now to empathize with those who turn to Pointless & Vicarious Drama when they are bored.  Sometimes we unconsciously stir up our own drama by creating a whole lot of Adversity out nothing.  This is when we take a sick kind of pleasure in gossiping, taking sides, starting family feuds, making fun of people or sacred things.

We also try to meet our Energy needs by vicariously experiencing other people’s sacrifices.  Our whole society does this by spending excessive time on things like TV, fiction novels, and sports.  It’s not that the practice of viewing these things is wrong.  That's how we learn!  It’s the over abundance of time we spend sitting on the sidelines as spectators without ever getting into the game ourselves.  Remember, the wise person looks for a balance in all things.  This is our time to be IN the game.  Someday we’ll go back to being full-time spectators but for now, it’s time to play and demonstrate what we have in us!

Listen:  "This is Your Life" by Switchfoot

Dangerous Sporting Activities
A lot of the abilities and talents people develop are pretty awesome but others make me think people must be life-threateningly bored to be motivated to do what they're doing.  There is a balance, right?  When we engage in activities that have no benefit other than to entertain people AND a very strong possibility of ending our lives or leaving us seriously injured, it’s not going to end in Sustainable Joy.  We have some pretty intense feelings in the moment but they'll burn out as fast as fireworks on Fourth of July.

The Red Herring
A red herring is a writer’s story device.  A clue is given to mislead or distract the reader from a relevant or important issue.  Red Herring Distractions are one of the biggest reasons we get all caught up in Self-inflicted Adversity.  While we’re being distracted by meaningless Willy Nilly occupations, the real Adversity is mounting against us in more subtle and hidden ways to the extent that when we finally realize what’s going on, we're defenseless against it.

Now is the time to develop real skills that enable us to manage real Adversity.  Time spent training for reality returns Sustainable Energy.  But if we insist on spending our time jumping off the "pinnacle of temples,” God’s Peace is not going to sustain us when the real Adversity hits.

"Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." ~Matthew 4:5-7

Whatever the self-inflicted cause, drama, or activity, if it distracts us from the real Adversity that we need to be facing, then it will only cause the perpetuation of fear, hunger, stress, anger, and shame in marriages and society.  It will render us unable to ever dance again.